Meter mounting



1936- w. M. BRADSHAW 51' AL 2,030,094

METER MOUNTING Filed Sept. 15, 1934 WITNESSES: INVENTORIS. 20 h/l'lllam M Brads/2a w a I QnQ W/wa TT NEY mamas-ob; 11, lacs UNITED STATES,

IPA-TENT oi-"Flca 2,030,! METER MOUNTING William M. Bradshaw and. Walter G. Mylins,

' Summit, N. 1., assignors to Westinghouse Elec trio & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, 2a., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationBeptember 1:, 934, SeriaiNo. 143.8

3 Claim. (01. 241-2) Our invention relates to watthour meter con-- structions and particularlyto'an improved means .i'or mounting a watthour meter to facilitate the testing thereof.

5 Watthour meters i of the general character shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,893,177, is-

- sued January 3, 1933, to Mylius and LaBar, are

- metered, it is necessary that a meter construction be employed to take care of these situations.

It is an. object of the present invention, there* l ion. to devise a meter mounting arrangement wherein the meter may be readily detached if desired, but wherein the meter maybe tested in an expeditious manner without removing ltfrom the customerfspremises. or disrupting lts elec-- I trical connections with the circuit being metered.

In practicing the present invention, we have devised a meter mounting of the general appearance shown in the aforesaid Patent No. 1.898, 177, but wherein for testing purposes, the meter 0 may be mounted in an auxiliary position on the base receptacle toprovide access to the terminal block within said receptacle to iacilitate the testing operations.

Referring to the drawing: I Figure 1 is an assembly view, in side elevation, partially in section,- of the meter construction embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the base receptaclcshowninl 'lg. l; and, D Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, partially in section, showing the watthour meter mounted in its auxiliaryposition on the base receptacle to facilitate the testing operation.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, our

I invention contemplates a casing for a'meter element comprising a base I having secured thereto a glass cover I, and flexible conductors 0 from the meter mechanism extending from the'gbase and in terminal clips 8. l A pair'of pins II project from 2, at

right angles thereto; adjacent the lower section v oi'thebaseasviewedinthedrawing.

'Ihesupport for themeter comprises a base reeeptacleorterminaichamher ll havingapelripheralfiangeltoimbstantlallythesamediameter as the meter base 2 and which is adapted to engage the circumferential edge of the base. In practice, a felt washer or the like may be inserted between the engaging f aces, if desired, but it is not shown in the drawing inthe interest of 5 simplification. The terminal chamber I4 is substantially of cup-shape and is similar-in appearance and con struction to an outlet box or junction box having a conduit connection It and ,a plurality of knock- A terminal block 22 is secured on an upstanding boss on we base of the terminal box although obviously it may be secured in any suitable manner.

the exposed face of the block 22. A laterally ex tending aperture 28 is provided in each terminal 26 for receiving the ends of conductors .30, and

the conductor ends are secured therein by means of screws 32.

Referring more specifically to Fig; 2, the four leads it from the circuit to be metered are brought through the conduit fitting It into the terminal chamber and are respectively inserted in the four apertures 2|. The bare ends of the conductors II are engaged by the terminal screws 32 to make electrical contact with the terminals The ends of the terminal clips 0 are slotted to 80 partially sun'ound'terminal screws It which are in threaded engagement with the'terminals 26. This construction ail'ords a'secure electrical connection between the meter conductors 8 and the line conductors 3t and may readily be removed; 35

it removal of the meter is found to be n,

by loosening screws 3. a

Sockets 4. formed inbosses in the lower side walloitheterminalchamber'asviewedinl'lg.

'2, are inalignment with the guidepins it pro- 40 jecting from the meter base, and are eii'ective when the meter base 2 and the terminal cham-\ ber are in telescopic relation, as shown in Fig. 1, to maintain the ele'ments in proper axial relation.

42 n aging the peripheral edgesof the meter base and terminal box is elective to maintain the parts in tight dust-prooiflrelation. A usual leadwafer and wire, not shown, may besemployed to discourage unauthorised removalot the'meter.

This method of sealing the parts may be similar to that shown in the aforesaid Patent 1,893,177.

Additional sockets '44 are mrmedontheupper'portiond'theskhwallot II The terminal block 22 carries a 15 plurality of terminals-2t which are embedded in When the-meter'is in its operative or service position, as shownin Fig. 1, a sealing ring the terminal box in vertical alignment with the apertures ill in the lower hall of the box, and spaced horizontally a distance corresponding to the distance between the pins l projecting from the meter base. The purpose 01' these additional sockets 44 is to receive the meter base pins III to support the meter in its auxiliary or testing position, as shown in Fig. 3, to afford access to the terminal chamber, so that necessary connections may be made to the terminal block for the testing operation;

From the foregoing, it should be obvious that during normal service conditions, with the parts as shown in Fig. 1, the assembly presents a neat appearance utilizing a minimum of wall space and that by merely removing the sealing ring 42, withdrawing the meter casing a slight amount to permit the pins ill to clear the sockets ll, the meter may readily be placed inits testing position. as shown in Fig. 3, and the test thereof may be carried on in a convenient manner. When it is desired to remove the meter from the installation, the terminal screws 36 may be loosened and the terminal clips I on the meter conductors i may readily be removed.

Quite obviously various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and we desire,

therefore, that only such limitations be placed ing from the base at said casing within said box, r

a terminal block within said box having terminals for receiving the free ends of said conductors, and additional means in said box complementary to the positioning means on said casing for supporting said casing in an off-set position with respect to said box to give access to said terminal block.

2. In combination, a casing for an electrical instrument having conductors extending from the base thereof and guide means secured to said base, a terminal box having an opening proportioned to be clowd by said instrument casing when the latter is in operative position, a terminal block secured in said box for receiving the free ends or said conductors, and a plurality 0t guide means in said box complementary to the guide means on the base at said casing, said guidemeansintheterminalboxbeingso-disposed that certainot them engage the guide means on said base to support said instrument casing in operative position, and others of said guide means being disposed to support said casing in a positionto aflord access to said terminal bloc 3. A meter installation compridng a casing for a meter element having flexible'oonductors extending trom the base thereof and a pair or box to receive said guide pins, means for securing said casing and box in operating pomtio'n with said'pins disposed in said sockets, and a second.

pairoisocketsinsaidboxtorreceivingsaidpins tosupportsaidcasinginanofl-setpositionwith respecttosaidbox.

'WALTERG.. 

